OUTCOMES OF RESECTION ARTHRODESIS FOR KNEE MALIGNANCIES

Limb salvage surgery with tumor resection and endoprosthesis insertion is currently the preferred treatment for malignancies of the extremity. However, this procedure is not feasible in many cases and requires expensive implants that may not be available or affordable for many patients, such as in developing countries. We present three cases with distinct malignancies of the knee, osteosarcoma, metastatic bone disease due to lung cancer, and spindle cell carcinoma, treated by resection arthrodesis. After wide excision of the tumor, the combination of plates crews and K-nails with bone cement was used for arthrodesis. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) score. LEFS scores were 24, 30, and 2 6 out of 80, respectively. These low scores reflected substantial loss of limb immobility. Resection arthrodesis is a viable treatment option for limb salvage in cases of knee tumor for which resection and endoprosthesis insertion are not feasible, but functional outcome is limited.